


sticks/stones

by starlight_sugar



Category: Nothing Much to Do
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 13:35:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8104372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlight_sugar/pseuds/starlight_sugar
Summary: Hero breaks her leg. John pays her a visit.





	

As soon as Hero opens the door, her face splits into a wide, sunny grin. “John! You didn’t say you were coming over.”

John holds up his DVD of The Princess Bride and smiles and rather determinedly doesn’t look down. “Entertainment for the day, if you want it.”

“I’d love it,” she says, and maneuvers herself back from the door. “Come in, we have popcorn if you’d like.”

“I’m not in the mood, but I can make some for you if you-”

“I can make popcorn,” Hero says, a sudden edge to her voice. John is almost surprised before he realizes that, all things considered, Hero has probably had a lot of people doing things for her lately.

John shrugs. “If you want,” he says nonchalantly, and he sees the line of Hero’s shoulders relax. “How are the crutches?”

Hero pokes him in the leg with one. “I’m awful with them,” she admits. “I’ve never broken a bone before, it’s awfully inconvenient.”

John snorts. “That’s one way of putting it.”

“Have you broken a bone, John?”

“I broke my arm when I was a kid, but it wasn’t a big deal. Legs are a big deal.”

“Inconvenient,” Hero repeats. “I don’t need popcorn, we can just watch the movie.”

“That’s fine.” John finally lets his eyes drift down to the cast on Hero’s leg and almost smiles. It’s light blue, a rather pleasant color, one that he didn’t realize they made casts in. There are scribbles and drawings all around it; he can make out something like the swirl of a treble clef, and Ursula’s neat handwriting. “Did people sign your cast?”

“Of course!” Hero hobbles over towards the TV and collapses on the couch, propping her leg up on the coffee table. “If I’m stuck in this thing, I might as well make sure I’m stuck happy, right?”

John lets his lips quirk up as he trails behind her. “Right,” he echoes softly. “Got any good signatures?”

“Leo tried to draw a cat, but it came out sort of ugly.” Hero reaches over towards the end table and comes up with a Sharpie. “Do you want to sign?”

“I’ll put the DVD in and then sign it.”

“Sure,” Hero says cheerfully, setting the marker next to her on the couch.

John bites his lip as he turns away. He’d heard about Hero breaking her leg a handful of days ago - some sort of freak accident, she tripped and fell down the stairs and happened to land perfectly wrong - but he hadn’t had the chance to come and visit. He’s glad that she’s doing well, he really is, but. Well. He busies himself with the DVD player so he doesn’t have to think about how he’d almost wished that she’d been miserable, just so he could be the one to cheer her up.

“You’ve seen this before, I’m assuming,” John says, grabbing the DVD player remote and settling in on the couch next to Hero.

“Oh, of course,” Hero says. “Trade you?” She holds out the Sharpie, and John hands her the remote.

“What am I supposed to write?” he says, a little hesitant, as he looks at the cast. Most of the scribbles seem to be signatures, but there are some drawings, and lots of “get well soon”s.

“Whatever you want,” Hero says lightly.

John climbs off the couch and crouches next to Hero’s leg. After a second, he decides that just signing his name would be safest, so he signs her cast next to the ankle, as lightly as possible. “There you go.”

“Thank you,” Hero says. She waits until John settles back on the couch to add, with a little more weight to it, “And thank you for visiting.”

“Of course,” John says, startled. “I’m glad to see you.”

“And me too.”

“I’m sorry it took so long to come over-”

“Don’t be sorry,” Hero says. The movie starts playing, and she shifts on the couch to lean her cheek against John’s shoulder. John can barely contain a smile, and he’s pretty sure Hero’s smiling, too. “Just be here.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was a commission for the awesome [Shawna,](http://twitter.com/shawneesaur) who you should check out because she's got her own webseries going on! Commissions are currently closed, but if you liked this fic you're welcome to check me out on [Twitter](http://twitter.com/ezrabridgers) and/or [Tumblr.](http://pervincetosscobble.tumblr.com)


End file.
